Marine Institute partnering with Quebec fisheries non-profit

The Marine Institute has signed a partnership with a Quebec not-for-profit fisheries organization to pursue research and development.

Marine Institute vice-president Glenn Blackwood (left) and Patrice Element, general manager of Merinov, sign a memorandum of understanding at the Delta St. John’s on Wednesday. — Photo by Daniel MacEachern/The Telegram

Glenn Blackwood, the Marine Institute’s vice-president, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Patrice Element, general manager of Merinov, on Wednesday at the Delta St. John’s, during the 2013 World Seafood Congress.

“We’ve been solving problems for the industry here for a long time,” said Blackwood.

“Merinov has been doing the same thing in Quebec, and is a system of community colleges and research and development focused, and working closely with industry.”

The MOU commits the two institutions to identify and share research related to the Canadian fishing industry and encourages both organizations to consult each other on technical issues, work together on experimental gear design, and share technologies.

The agreement also gives Merinov researchers and its industry partners access to the flume tank at the Marine Institute for fishing gear research.

“What we see is that the industry that we serve, whether it’s in Quebec, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or New Brunswick, we’re all facing the same challenges,” said Element, who added that the best way to support the industry is to pool their knowledge and abilities to find faster and better ways to tackle problems facing the industry.

Marine Institute vice-president Glenn Blackwood (left) and Patrice Element, general manager of Merinov, sign a memorandum of understanding at the Delta St. John’s on Wednesday. — Photo by Daniel MacEachern/The Telegram